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This course introduces students to the fundamentals of American Sign Language (ASL), the principal system of manual communication among the American deaf. Not to be confused with Signed English (to which a certain amount of comparative attention is given) or with other artificially developed systems, ASL is a conceptual language and not merely encoded or fingerspelled English. As such, while to some extent influenced by English, depending on the individual signer, it presents its own grammar and structure, involving such elements as topicalization, spatial indexing, directionality, classification, syntactic body language, etc. These will all be studied during the course in both the weekly 1 3/4 hour class and two weekly small group sessions. By the end of the semester, students should have learned between 700 and 800 conceptual signs and their use. They will also have been introduced to aspects of American deaf culture--sociology, psychology, education, theater, etc.--through a variety of readings and discussions.
Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed
Drop/Add form to the Registrar's
Office.
The instructor of this course will not be using the on-line wait list. If you are interested in this course, please contact the instructor directly.
COURSE FORMAT: Language
Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE Grading Mode: Student Option
Prerequisites: NONE
Last Updated on MAR-18-2003
Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459